Conventionally, hitches mounted to a towing vehicle included fixed components permanently secured to the vehicle. The hitch body was bolted or welded to the vehicle and included a hitch ball fixed to the hitch structure. As hitch manufacturers developed more uses for their hitches, the fixed ball has been replaced by a removable hitch insert received within a sleeve that is formed as part of the hitch body.
Both the hitch insert and sleeve had a similar, such as rectangular, configuration so that the sleeve would matingly receive the insert. To prevent inadvertent removal of the hitch insert from the sleeve, a hitch pin is inserted transversely through the insert and sleeve to mate the components. The insert could be conveniently removed for interchange to a different insert associated with an accessory such as a cargo platform, bike carrier, ski rack, etc. Today, various sizes of hitch inserts are available to users, and each size hitch insert utilizes a different size hitch pin.